The Meaning of Family
by Secrets to Serenity
Summary: I have never asked for much, I've struggled for so long now to keep my small family afloat. But money is getting tighter again and I need something more than what we have. What am I to do? S&S E
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes – Ten years of fascination and I still can't get enough of CCS!

Disclaimer - I don't own Card Captor Sakura, but I'm saving up to buy them out ^^.

Chapter One

In Need

I sighed and crumbled up another classified add. Everyone wanted _experience,_ how did they expect someone to gain experience if they don't allow them into the door! Stupid society…

I looked around me, surrounded in my tiny apartment with my ratty furniture I had found in the garbage. I wouldn't mind so much if it wasn't for the fact that my son deserved so much better than this. I thought we would be able to manage a more comfortable lifestyle if I just worked two jobs, but after two years of doing this everyday I'm not getting anywhere. Debt is surrounding me.

It was almost noon and I promised that I would help some guy that I would help him start up his dance instruction classes today at three. I didn't really want to but I feel obligated to return the help he had given me last week by driving me and my groceries home and taking me to pick up my son from daycare. Crude what was his name again? I wrote it down somewhere… Oh well, I'm sure it's in my purse somewhere.

He told me to wear something comfortable which I guess is nice; all my clothing is comfortable considering its mostly ratty sweat pants that I found at a garage sale last summer. I grabbed my slightly too big red sweats and a gray tank top on and went to grab my shoes. Kiyoshi was already at daycare, my neighbor said that he was headed that way anyway and it was raining. I offered money and thankfully he declined me, I'm already down to my last twenty dollars.

It was hot, as usual and the bus was either running late or I was early, I don't have a watch of phone to tell the time. I wish I knew exactly what he wanted me to do; I don't know how to dance… Great, now I'm going to disappoint him and I haven't even showed up!

Leaning against the bus stop sign I closed my eyes to try to block out the headache that I felt coming on from all the stress. Stupid, stupid me… I should have told him that I don't know how to dance before I accepted helping him!

A near by car started honking frantically, adding to my growing headache. I looked around for the source and I spotted a shiny black car that looked like it belonged in the early nineties from the shape, but in obvious good condition. He had pulled and stopped in front of the bus stop stopping the traffic that had been following behind him.

"Hey! You're Sakura right?" A male voice called from the driver's side.

Curiosity temporarily killed the headache and I bent down to try to see his face. "Yes?" I recognized him immediately as the guy I was suppose to be working with today and mentally smacked myself for wanting to wait to remember his blasted name!

"Hey! Wasn't expecting to see you until three o'clock! Where ya heading I'll give you a ride!"

His dark eyes glistened brightly and his neatly trimmed black hair shown blue hues where the sunlight hit them. Without another thought I climbed into the car and he started driving again.

"I almost didn't recognize you without your glasses," I said quietly. I felt so small all of a sudden being alone in his presence. Conversation wasn't something that came easily to me as it did for him; I learned that from our first encounter.

He let out a small chuckle. "I where my glasses on days that don't need me to be very active and today isn't one of those days. So where are you headed?" he asked stopping at a red light.

I felt so embarrassed. My clothes were ratty compared to his baggy army pants and form fitting black tee. "I was headed for the studio. Taking the bus would take almost two hours to get there from where I live…"

"I see. Well it's a good thing that we ran into each other then. I was just headed there myself. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for today. It didn't dawn on me until last night to ask you what kind of dancing you do." The car started moving down the street again.

My nerves were getting the best of me so I started digging in my purse as discreetly as possible in search for his name.

"I should have told you before I accepted your offer, but I can't dance." The confession made me feel somewhat better, but still guilty for getting his hopes up for an assistant. Aha! I found his name; Eriol.

"Really?" he sounded shock, which surprised me. "Please don't take any offense when I say this but your body build is that of a dancer. Are you sure you don't dance?"

Great, he was going to fire me before we even reached our destination!

"No, I'm sorry if I miss lead you in any way. I understand if you don't want me to be your assistant anymore."

"Because you say you can't dance?" Another chuckle escaped his lips. "No, I can work with you in your free time. I still would like you to assist me. Which reminds me… what days are convenient for you?"

"Oh, well I'm currently working two jobs right now, Monday through Friday."

"Oh wow, how are you doing that with a baby?" Already we were half way there.

"Well, I get up every morning at four and get myself and Kiyoshi ready and head out at five. My first job isn't far from his daycare so I get there about six in the morning and get off at two. My other job is just a thirty minute walk away so I get to visit Kiyoshi before being at my other job at three. I manage to pay the daycare a little extra to drop him off at my neighbor's apartment where he remains until I get home around midnight." I closed my purse back up and sat back to attempt to enjoy his company. He was really nice so far the thought of him never occurred to me that he might be some kind of killer and here she was pouring her schedule to him like a running tap!

"Wow, that's tough, I couldn't imagine living on four hours of sleep alone. You must drink a lot of coffee to stay awake." He parallel parked in front of a small brick building sandwiched between an old looking deli and a hair salon. "Well here we are. It's not much now but it'll grow."

I didn't say anything as we got out and watched him unlock the building. We walked in and the smell of dust hit me strong and I sneezed.

"Bless you. I haven't been able to clean up in here either, another reason why I'm early." Eriol smiled sheepishly at me and flicked a light switch. The fluorescent lighting above lit the room to reveal dusty hardwood floors and a completely bare room. The walls were already lined with dirty mirrors, surprisingly still intact.

"Was this place already a dance studio?" The question came out before my brain realized my mouth had moved.

"So you noticed?" Eriol came back inside with a brooms, mops and mop buckets. I didn't even see him leave back out.

"Well, we better get started!" he said handing me a broom.

~*~

It didn't take long, fortunately to clean the giant room, especially with the two of us working together with his radio blaring. The bathrooms were the worst part and instead of cleaning them individually as originally planned we decided to tackle them both together.

The men's bathroom was the worst and ended with both of us losing our lunches and came to the conclusion that we would need to replace the toilet and concluded our day with putting an out of order sign on the door.

"I'll pick out a toilet before I drop you off at home," Eriol said before washing his mouth out in the bathroom sink of the ladies room. Spitting the last of his water out he turned off the faucet and wiped his mouth with this arm.

I glanced at his watch it was ten till three there was no way that I would be able to learn anything he taught me in ten minutes! I began to feel nervous again and that's when it hit me that I would be dancing in front of people. I shouldn't be worried for all they know I could be another student who just happened to be the first one to arrive and not his assistant.

"I don't know about you but I'm starving." Eriol said admiring the work we done.

"Me too, but I'm so nervous about the dancing that I don't know if I could keep anything down," I confessed, I felt a small smile creep along my lips despite my best efforts to not. Not to mention I needed to hold on to the last of my money until Monday, I can't afford to eat out.

"Don't, all you have to do is follow me, step for step. It's that simple. Besides who's to say that they'll even come. It's belly dancing; a lot of people either can't or won't try to grasp it and will either drop out after the first week or will chicken out and not come at all. With that in mind, I say we go next door and grab a sandwich."

He was already heading out the door, keys in hand to lock up while we were out. Sighing I reluctantly grabbed my purse and walked out with him.

The heat rising off the pavement made me breakout into an instant sweat. Eriol jogged up ahead and opened the door for me and bowed. "Before you my lady."

I could feel myself blush and I smiled before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why thank you kind sir."

The air conditioning was a welcoming relief and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. "That feels so much better."

"I bet."

We walked up to the counter to take our orders, my measly twenty dollars still in my mind.

"I'll take your ham and cheese sub, a bag a chips, and a cup of water," he ordered talking his wallet out of his back pocket.

"I'll just have a bottle of water please," I said quietly.

Eriol raised his eyebrows and looked at me questioningly. "I thought you said you were hungry."

I was at a loss of words. I didn't want to tell him I was broke because the last thing I wanted was for him to feel sorry for me, but if Kiyoshi runs out of diapers then I'll be short and will have to settle for the stupid pharmacy brand. Seriously, who sales ultra thin diapers?

"And then whatever she wants." I heard him say.

"You don't have-"

"Please, get something to eat." A smile crossed his lips before grabbing his sandwich and heading to the cashier. I felt so embarrassed but I did has he told me and got a simple turkey sandwich. He paid and we walked back to the dance studio.

It was ten after three and still no one showed up and so we sat the in the middle of the room and at our sandwiches an a comfortable silence.

I heard him sigh and polished the last of my sandwich before looking at him. He leaned back, the muscles in his abs showing clearly through his shirt. I tried not to look but it was so rare that I saw anyone with a body like his this close before, it was fascinating.

"I've never thought of men belly dancing before. What drew you to it?" I asked following his lead.

He laughed, the muscles in his stomach tightening. Dear God Sakura stop _looking_! "My girlfriend, Tomoyo. She's insanely into it but I think her love for fashion is starting to win over. One day on a dare she made me go belly dancing with her and it turned out that… I like it. Sounds gay right?"

I felt myself give a small laugh, "Yeah, but it shows you're comfortable with yourself. That's more than most straight men can be. "

"Can't believe no one's showed up yet. It's almost four o'clock." Eriol sighed and sat back and looked down at me. "I couldn't help but to keep thinking about you and four jobs and then your acceptance to this one making three. How would you feel about just _one_ job?"

I sat up and crossed my legs. "Are you kidding me? _One_ job? I couldn't think of a happier thing right now. It's just the only jobs who are willing to accept me make as much as I make now at either one of my jobs and isn't worth leaving either one of them for."

"Where do you work?"

I felt my cheeks getting warm again from embarrassment. "I work at a library in the morning and then I work as a bartender at a strip club after that."

"I didn't think strip clubs are open that early."

"They're not but I go in to help set up and get ready for the night." I couldn't look at him, I felt so ashamed of my stupid jobs.

I watched him from the corner of my eyes and tried to get a reading of what he was possibly thinking about. "And you don't dance?" he asked again still shock written clearly on his face.

I felt my mouth start to fall in complete astonishment. It was like he didn't care that I just told him I worked at a strip club and his biggest confliction was that I didn't dance.

"We've got to change that. Come on get up." He jumped up on his feet and started stretching. I had just gotten up and thrown away our garbage when light from outside flooded the inside and closed. "Hey! You showed up!" Eriol exclaimed excitedly.

"Just wanted to check out and see how well your first day of business was going for you," came another male voice.

Again curiosity peeked my interest and as discreetly as possible, I hope, checked to see who it was and suddenly I wish I hadn't. Eriol remembered I existed and waved me over.

"Sakura, come I want you to meet my cousin!"

Reluctantly I walked over and smiled up at the newcomer. "Hi." I think I said hi or I might have imagined it. There was something about his presence that made me feel like I was less than when I was with Eriol earlier. It may have been the way those amber orbs seemed to stare me down with judgment.

"Sakura, this is my cousin, Syaoran Li. Syaoran Li this is my new assistant, Sakura," Eriol introduced.

"Nice to meet you sir," I said nodding my head in acknowledgement.

"Nice to meet you to," he said. "So where's your students?"

Eriol shrugged with an easy going smile. "Guess they chickened out. It is belly dancing after all and I'm not exactly a woman. So I guess it would seem really, you know, _weird…_" Eriol said with a shrug.

"I see."

They began carrying on a conversation about things that I had no idea about and I wanted to leave. I hate feeling so uncomfortable around people.

"So how's the search for a nanny going?" Eriol asked.

"Horrible. I went through probably twenty applications today and once again they were either too old or just didn't come off as responsible enough. The last one I did hire, Fai drove her into quitting. The kid is one for crying out loud."

I smiled at a thought of chancing Kiyoshi through out the apartment. He had grabbed one of my balls of yarn and I chased after him. He ran into my room and straight into the bed, bouncing off and landing flat on his back. He was having too much fun to notice and I was couldn't help but laugh. I felt the laugh from my memory escape me and blushed.

"Sorry, I was just remembering something my son did a couple months ago."

"Oh yeah, you should see him. Cute and he has the personality of someone who's been there and done it all," Eriol said.

"Oh really? How old is he?" Li asked.

"Two." Then the awkward silence descended.

"You know…" Eriol began and all eyes focused on him. "I was thinking about it will we were eating, Sakura, and well maybe you should get a resumé together to present to Syaoran. Who knows this may be something you're both looking for."

I felt so put on the spot that I wasn't sure how to respond. I looked from one cousin to the other and still no words could come out my mouth.

"I don't know Eriol. Fai probably needs just needs more than just _one _nanny, you know?" Syaoran asked. Clearly he was just as uncertain as I was.

"Excuse us for just sec.," Eriol said winking to me before dragging Syaoran to the other side of the room.

I don't think it was necessary really. I discovered Eriol's lack in talent when it came to whispering really fast and knew that he was trying to set me up with being his cousin's nanny. Which don't get me wrong I need a job and if I could get just one job and it meant that I could be home with Kiyoshi at night I would be in heaven!

Syaoran seemed to know that he realize that Eriol wasn't good at the whole whispering thing either because he ended up dragging him into the men's bathroom before hurriedly coming back out and into the women's. The bathroom may have been clean but that toilet… I shudder to even think about it.

I stood there alone and got bored. I wished I knew what they were talking about but the last thing I wanted to do was try and ease drop and then get caught. So I decided to go through Eriol's music collection. He had everything from R&B to Heavy Metal music. I selected a Lacuna Coil CD and began to play my favorite, Entwined.

I lay down in front of the radio and stretched out closing my eyes and let the music carry me away. It didn't occur to me that I started singing out loud and that they were apparently done with their conversation.

I got past the second verse and I heard someone else's voice join in with mine and the CD. I jolted straight up and quickly stopped the music. "Sorry… I just really like this band…"

"Relax, Sakura. The music is here for you to enjoy just as much as it is for me to enjoy," Eriol said joining me on the floor. Li sat down with us and I could feel his eyes yet again studying me.

"Eriol tells me that you're looking for a new job," Li began. I almost blurted out that I never actually _said_ I was looking for a new job but I managed to keep my mouth closed. "If you can bring a resumé with you tomorrow when you show up here I would like to give you an interview."

My draw must have dropped. "Really? Just like that? This is the first time you've ever met me." Shut up, shut up, shut it up!

"All of my interviews today were people I had never met until they were sitting across my office desk getting interviewed."

It was so obvious that he didn't want to interview me, but I just needed a new job so bad.

"Alright, I'll make sure to have it ready for you by tomorrow. I really appreciate you giving my resumé a chance."

"Don't thank me yet. There's two interviews you have to go through. The first one will be through me, the second one will be through…" he stopped to rub his temples. "Yu Jie," he added bitterly.

I felt my eyes go over to Eriol who just shook his head as if to say don't even worry about it.

~*~

Five o'clock came and no one showed up and Li had left long before then. We locked up and climbed into his car.

"I want to thank you," I told him after a few minutes of silence.

"For what?" he asked chuckling.

"For asking your cousin about the nanny position. I feel so embarrassed and I have to admit that I'm really nervous…" I fidgeted with the strap of my purse and didn't bother to look at his face. The last thing that I wanted to see was his happy eyes.

"Don't worry about it. You're a really nice girl and I saw your son in the grocery store way before you two noticed me and if you can handle him, you can defiantly handle Fai. He's a good kid, just needs someone to be there for him is all." Before I knew it Eriol stopped outside the front of my son's daycare. "I remembered were it was!"

"You didn't have to do this. I mean any of all you've done," I said not bothering to get out just yet.

"Hey don't worry about it; all I ask in return is that you're mine on the weekends and maybe a couple hours when nanny business is over that is if you're not needed."

"I really appreciate everything you're doing and trying to do for me. I feel as if a simple thank you isn't enough."

"Go get Kiyoshi and I'll take you both home. I'll be by tomorrow around eight and I'll drop him off here and we can get to work.

"Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes ~*~ My computer lost internet connection. Blame Insight for not having better scheduling. Then one of my best friends had died and I regrettably lost the want to continue, especially because of the reminder of how much she liked me reading them to her. However, I'm working through it and I know she would have wanted me to complete what I've started. Good bye until we meet again, I'll miss you always Tina.

Disclaimer ~*~ I don't own CCS but I think I might have bought Mokona over.

Chapter Two

I rolled over and slapped at the bloody alarm clock before managing to get it turned off. My night had been restless, a mixture of anxiety and the fact that Kiyoshi had managed to climb up in bed with me during the middle of the night. Sneaking as quietly as one could I manage to get out of bed with him only stirring once. If I could get out the door, I would be safe for a quick shower.

The steamy hot water felt wonderful and as usual I couldn't help but just stand there to enjoy it. The fragrance of my strawberry body wash filled the shower and as always it ended too early.

Drying off I rambled through my closet, in the dark, still not wanting to wake Kiyoshi just yet. I wanted to make sure that I already got myself ready and him some breakfast prepared and cooled before waking him up. He gets so grumpy in the morning when he knows that there's food to be eaten and it isn't ready. My poor neighbors would probably think I was beating him the way he screamed and cried to get his way.

I found a pair of baggy gray sweat pants and I white t-shirt and took them to the living room to put on. With that done I went ahead and brushed out my hair and then off to start breakfast.

I had just finished the first pancake when I heard Kiyoshi sliding out of bed and then the running of his feet. "Mommy, mommy!" he called.

"Kiyoshi, Kiyoshi," I repeated. He rounded the corner, bright green eyes and all smile and some teeth. "Read to eat, eat?" I asked placing another pancake on his plate.

"Eat, eat!" he repeated jumping. Well, not really _jumping, _his feet never left the ground.

I heard myself smile and placed his plate and a Sippy cup of milk next to it. "Alright you, let's get those pajamas off and you can eat, eat all you want.

I hurried and got his pj's off, mostly because his excitement demanded it. Kiyoshi could eat almost non-stop all day long as long as you supplied the food that he like. The bad thing was there were very few things that he didn't like. Even when I carried him I stayed hungry. It got to the point where I was so tired of eating after the first three plates and I was still starving. I stayed hungry all the way up to labor!

I sat a couple of pillows in the chair and sat him on top of it so that he was seated more comfortably at the table. I keep saying that I'm going to get him a booster seat, but I never have any money left over after food and bills are paid. What change that I manage to find or get I put in a jar to further help but lately with the winter months coming, I'm not even getting that much change left over to put away.

Kiyoshi started eating; already a mess starting as try as he might to use a fork, he was doing more flinging then actual eating. Trying to help him this early in, I already knew was pointless. It would only make him start to cry and whine and more food would fly because he's digging his fork in the food and then trying to keep it away from me at the same time… ugh.

I turned back to the stove and began fixing my pancakes, all the while keeping a steady eye on him and cringing every time I saw food fall to the floor.

Learning from experience that anything that Kiyoshi saw me do to my plate the same procedure needed to be performed to his plate, I stayed standing by the counter while I put the syrup and butter on. Then, continued to stand there while I ate it and talked to him through mouthfuls of hastily shoveled in pancake.

Finishing up my plate I went ahead and cleaned up the mess I had made fixing it and ran to his bedroom to grab some clean clothes. This daily mission was getting harder and harder by the week as he was growing out of his clothes. With the lack of money flow coming in, I couldn't even afford to buy Kiyoshi clothes. The ones that we had, I had lucked out on and someone was just giving them away.

After ten minutes of searching and seeding out more clothes that I knew he couldn't wear I finally found a pair of pants and t-shirt with a small hole in the back where the stupid laundry mat dryer decided to catch and rip it.

Taking the clothes and a couple of diapers I stuffed into my diaper bag the day before I went to the bathroom to get his washcloth so I could wipe him off.

By this time Kiyoshi had discovered my absence and took it upon himself to get down, dragging the mess he made in the kitchen to my living room adding to the numerous stains into the carpet.

"Kiyoshi!" came the normal whine from my mouth. I shook my head and he just laughed. Sometimes I wondered if he knew all the grief he put me through when it came to keeping this crappy apartment clean. "Come here, let mommy wipe your hands and change your diaper."

"No!" he screamed before giggling and running back into the kitchen.

"Yes Kiyoshi," I stated firmly chasing after him.

The battle with Kiyoshi to get him cleaned and in clothes lasted a good fifteen minutes of both of us trying to be the alpha. "Finally!" I said leaning back and watched him scamper away back to my room, all clothes on.

Looking at the clock I noticed I still had ten minutes before eight. Getting up with a groan stiff limbs I looked out my window and didn't see his car so I went ahead and finished cleaning my kitchen and sweeping up the breakfast on my floor before Kiyoshi thought it over again and began eating cold pieces of pancake that he smashed into my carpet.

I spent the better portion of my night typing up my stupid resumé for Syaoran last night. I decided to leave out the part of me working at as a bartender at a strip club, he didn't really need to know that anyway. Heck that alone might be the determining factor of my getting a job with him. Before I forgot it, I gently stuffed it into the diaper bag with the rest of Kiyoshi's things.

A honk sounded outside and I ran to the window to see Eriol pull up in the parking lot. Quickly, I made sure everything was turned off and grabbed Kiyoshi before running out the apartment. I didn't lock it I had lost my key the day before and I didn't want to ask my nosey landlord to let me in.

Kiyoshi didn't fight me going down the steps today, mostly because he wasn't still truly aware of what was going on and the excitement of actually going somewhere kept him reasonable.

Eriol got out the car and opened the back seat. "Good morning Sakura!" He bent to Kiyoshi's eye level. "Good morning Kiyoshi!"

"Good morning Eriol, say good morning Kiyoshi." Kiyoshi looked up at me and then back at him and continued to stare as if to say, will you get out of my face?

"Quiet this morning huh?"

"The more he sees you the more he'll warm up."

"I believe it," he said ruffling Kiyoshi's hair. "Oh yeah, I got you guys something. Take a look" he said gesturing in the backseat.

I moved closer to the car to get a better look inside. There, taking up space in the backseat was a brand new car seat. Not just _any_ car seat either. I'm talking about the one that I dream about having whenever I get a car. Not the one for thirty dollars on sale at the local grocery store but the one that's almost two flipping hundred dollars if not more.

"Oh my… You really shouldn't have. I-" I can't even thank him properly; he probably thinks that I'm being ungrateful.

"Nonsense," he said still smiling at me. "You don't have a car so I figured that you wouldn't have a need for a car seat and since I'm your ride we and he needs one… uh… I forgot where I was going with that," he waved his hands in a dismissive manner and shook his head. "The point is he needs one so he can safely ride in the car with us."

I couldn't help but laugh, he reminded me of me. "Thank you, I really do appreciate it. You can deduct it from-"

"Nope, it's a gift. I don't deduct gifts."

"Thanks."

"Well, let's get him strapped in and we can drop him off at his daycare. Is yours still open on Sundays?" he asked getting back into the car.

"Yeah my schedule can be pretty demanding throughout the day and I just need to be sure that there's someone always available to watch him while I work." Kiyoshi looked like he wasn't sure what to think about being strapped into this new contraption. It was cute to watch him pick at the straps and work his mouth. He wanted to say something so bad, but I think he was shy. Then again it wouldn't truly matter; I have no idea what he's saying for the most part.

I got in the car and buckled in. Then it hit me. I have an interview with his cousin and I'm dressed in a t-shirt and ragged sweat pants. I hadn't even noticed the drive to the daycare, and barely remembered dropping Kiyoshi off inside. I even walked out only to walk back in because I forgot to take the resumé out of the diaper bag.

"You okay Sakura? You've been really quiet the entire ride," Eriol stated pulling up to the dance studio.

"I'm sorry. I just realized a while ago that I'm going to do an interview today and I feel so under dressed for it. He's going to take one look at my appearance and automatically say no."

"Yeah right." Eriol snorted before cutting off the engine. "Syaoran is a man of business; he understands that he's interviewing you at a _job_ site and I'm perfectly okay with that. However, it's Yu Jie you're going to have to really impress. She's Fai's mother, if you can truly call her one."

We got out of the car and unlocked the building before stepping inside.

"Why do you say that?" I asked turning on all the lights.

She spends her day shopping and going out with her 'friends' and her son stays home living the life of a spoiled rotten child because he doesn't know any better. The only real time he gets any attention from her is when she goes to see her parents on Sundays and she takes him with her or when Syaoran has an important gathering that he needs to attend and he wants the family there."

"I see…"

"The one problem you might have is the way you look."

I watched him load the CDs into his five disk CD changer waiting for him to elaborate further, but he obviously wasn't. "My clothes?"

Eriol laughed and shook his head. "Yu Jie is someone who wants to be known for her beauty and she is, as well as her attitude. She doesn't like to feel like she has to work any harder at maintaining that and has never had to. You on the other hand, are naturally more beautiful than her. There's the possibility that she won't hire you based on that statement alone. There's also the possibility that I can guarantee that I can make that not a factor."

"What?" the very word was dripped and doubt and I didn't even bother hiding it either.

"Hey honey!" came the cheerful voice of a female as sunlight filled the room. We both looked toward the source and saw a slender girl with dyed purple hair and obvious purple contacts stroll in with purple airy long legged pants and a tight fitting white top.

"Tomoyo!" Hello my pretty beauty," Eriol greeted getting up from his crouched position to give Tomoyo a hug. Somehow I think I would have known her to be his girlfriend if she'd just walked in. Her style and vibrant attitude matched Eriol's perfectly.

"Come, I want you to meet someone," he said pulling her by the hand toward me. I noticed the purple gemmed slippers she wore as she walked. A purple fanatic but seemed to suit her. "Tomoyo, this is the girl I was telling you about. Sakura Kinomoto, Sakura this is the future Tomoyo Hiiragizawa the –"

Tomoyo jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. "I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, Eriol's girlfriend," she said holding out her hand.

I accepted it with a smile. I used not to be so uncomfortable touching people whether greeting or otherwise but my obvious lack of choice of jobs didn't leave me much choice.

"Nice to meet you. I was wondering if I would ever meet the mysterious girl who turned her boyfriend into belly dancing." Honestly I didn't wonder that at all, my brain barely has time to think of witty responses since I became Wonder Mom.

"Awe, you're so cute!" Tomoyo began circling around me not hiding the fact that she was looking me over. "Eriol wasn't joking you've got an amazing body."

"Oh well you know. I get my exercise chasing, throwing, and catching whatever my son gets a hold of for the past two years." I had that feeling of self consciousness that is always lingering around me like a shadow and I felt even worst about my appearance.

"You know what, I don't know if Eriol told you or not but I've been working on my own line of clothing. Because of my love for belly dancing I started up a series for that as well. You have the perfect body for my costumes, I'll pay you twice the amount he is to model for me when I need you to."

I felt my draw drop, literately. This _had _to be a joke. I've struggled and struggled with jobs over the past three years and I meet _one_ guy who just _happens_ to hire me out of the blue and now I'm getting job offers I would have never considered. I looked from her to him and back again, she was completely serious.

"Wow," was the only thing that I could think to say.

"Oh and don't worry, I'm flexible. I know working with Eriol and then Syaoran is going to be stress as it is," Tomoyo said flicking her hair back over her shoulder.

"But Syaoran hasn't even hired me or interviewed me."

"Don't worry, he'll hire you. I'll make sure of it." Tomoyo stated matter-a-factly.

I wanted to ask her how but someone entered the door.

"Good morning!" we all said automatically smiles on our faces.

A girl entered the room and closed the door allowing us to get a good look at her. She was pretty, very pretty and probably my age. She had soft pretty brown skin and large almond shaped eyes.

"Hi," she said shyly. "I was passing through yesterday with my mother and I noticed this place and I just had to come back and take a look." She stumbled over some of her words but definitely not bad.

"Well welcome, welcome." Eriol went up to the girl and lead her more to the center of the room. "And may I ask what your name is?"

"Brandi, I'll only be here for a little while but I figured while I was here I should keep up my favorite way to release stress."

"First time in Hong Kong?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yeah, mom decided it was time I visit the larger part of her side of the family so here I am!"

"Well Brandi, welcome to Hong Kong, I'm sure you'll find it to be full of things to do while you visit. Come, I'll just need to get some information from you." He led her to a room that I never noticed before, obviously the office.

"So while we wait, what all do you know about belly dancing?" Tomoyo asked.

"That it's pretty?" I felt so uncomfortable again. I'm starting at yet another job and no nothing about it other than they dress in pretty costumes and make men and women everywhere take notice in what they can do with their body.

"Well that's a start. Here I'll show you the basics while we wait for them to get done and for Syaoran to show up."

"Kay."

"Now, let's start with my favorite move, the popping of those hips!"

We worked for about fifteen minute and popping my hip up using the ball of my foot and twisting it back and forth, making my hip rise and fall. It was weird to see my body try something new, especially when it was really clumsy at first. It was really hard trying to get my hip to snap the way hers did but finally got some form of it. She said it was mostly because of her costume that helped and had me tie my shirt up till my bare belly was exposed which helped more than I thought it would.

We were about to start chest isolations next, which looked good when she did it but had to be hard. Her lower half stayed still but she made her chest go in circles as if it didn't connect to the other half of her body. Syaoran had showed up.

"Good morning ladies," he said. Unlike the day when I first met him he was in slacks and a light blue shirt and tie. The temperatures outside had already risen high enough to where he had his sleeves rolled up to try and provide some comfort.

"Good morning, Syaoran." Tomoyo said turning around to face him properly. "Going in early?"

"Yeah, wanted to stop by and interview Kinomoto before heading in. Figured it would be easier for the both of us," Syaoran said unfolding his sleeves and buttoning them back down to his wrists.

I could feel myself begin to shake and realized that my belly was so exposed right now. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear I quickly undid the knot that held my shirt captive and let if fall back to where it was, only now super wrinkled.

"Good morning," I mumbled. I so didn't want to be here, I wished I didn't have to go through this right now. All I wanted was to hid somewhere and let someone else take my place.

"Let's get started. You brought you resumé?"

"Yeah, let me go grab it for you." Lucky for me I remember throwing it over where Tomoyo put her bag. The last thing I want him to think is that I'm a total ditz. I ran over and grabbed it and quickly returned.

"Let's take a look here," he said reading over the very vain of my work history. "You've taken on a lot of jobs at once it looks like."

"Well, when you become mommy anything that pays more or would help becomes an opportunity too good to pass up," I said smiling. Oh my God I wish I would just shut up already!

"I see. You have one child?" I nodded; I just didn't trust myself to orally answer another question. "How old is he?"

"He's two but you would think he's a lot older the way he acts." I could feel my smile becoming more genuine than nervous; talking about Kiyoshi always has that affect on me.

"I know the feeling. My son is spoiled. He doesn't listen to anyone, gets into everything and loves to scream for hours. How would you handle my son knowing those characteristics?" His unbelievably pretty amber eyes bore into mine. The seriousness of his tone wanted to make me believe in monsters again.

"Well, I would treat him like he was my son. He gets into things he's not supposed to get into so he needs someone there to teach him what he can play with and what he can't. The more communication that he has with someone at a constant amount of time, whether it is the same person everyday or multiple people throughout the day the more he'll seem to understand. Also being with other kids who do listen makes them want to follow suit because at this age they love to learn, which is why he gets into everything. As far as his screaming habits go that can be easily reduced as well. He probably wants something to be given to him and screaming is the only way that he knows how to communicate someone into guessing what it is to make him stop. By helping him learn how to do simple things like pointing helps a lot."

"So you're saying you can teach him these things?" Syaoran's face looked skeptical.

"Of course. My son is two and despite the days that I have with him that aren't as good as others he knows what I'm saying to him and he knows how to properly get my attention for things that he wants. Kids seek approval from their parents or from anyone at that matter and automatically know if it makes you happy. My son likes it when I tell him he's doing a good job or high fives; it makes him feel like he's done something great. He'll throw his own diapers away or hand him something and tell him what to do with it he'll do it and feel proud when congratulated. Or he'll see me picking up his toys and decides he wants to help."

"How do you feel about meals?"

"As an adult we grow knowing that lunch is three times a day and we have these big meals and eat until our plates are completely empty whether we're full or not, because that's how we were raised. I believe that kids should be given smaller meals that have every member of the food pyramid at least five times a day. That way they're not being over stuffed, they get their nutrition and learn to love foods that we don't eat because they taste 'yucky'." Oh gosh Sakura, yucky? Really? Couldn't come up with a better word than _yucky_.

Syaoran cracked a small smile. "Fai won't eat all of his food."

"That's probably because Fai isn't hungry. Kids will stop eating when they're full mostly because they have other things to do than sit there and eat."

"What about bed time, Fai hates it fights it and doesn't fall asleep until really late at night. How do you tend to solve that?"

"The same way I had to solve my son's sleeping habits. Whether he wants to or not I put him in his room at bed time and tuck him in. He'll cry and scream, but you have to ignore it. That's their way of breaking down your defenses into letting them stay up later to play. I also noticed that a nap time shortly after lunch is good for them to; makes them less cranky."

Syaoran nodded his head and stared at me with those judging eyes. "I have to admit I like you a lot more than all the other's I've interviewed."

"Really?"

"Yes. I honestly thought you are too young for something like this but obviously being a mother has made you a bit of an expert at this," Syaoran commented. I wasn't sure if I should have been complimented or insulted so I decided to ignore it. After all, I'm trying to get a better job.

"Well, I would never call myself an expert because being a parent is a lifelong learning experience; everyday you learn something new with your child and that in itself is awarding." No matter how much of a tyrant your children are, they will always be your child.

Syaoran nodded again in agreement with me. "Alright well I like you. You seem to know more about what you're doing than all the others so I'll set you up to where you'll meet Yu Jie and Fai later on this evening when I return from work. We'll meet at my house say six o'clock sharp?"

"Okay," my voice obviously happy that he liked my interview more than anyone else made me so excited that I wanted to jump and scream with joy. That was until I realized that I didn't have a car to shower, change, get Kiyoshi and then make it to wherever his house was by six.

"Alright then I'll see you later," he said. He waved at Tomoyo and left back out the door.

"Don't worry about a thing, after you get off here, we'll head over to my place and I'll dress you up for the interview with Yu Jie." Tomoyo looked more excited than I felt over the fact that Syaoran said yes. "Oh I have so many styles for you to try on for just this role!" Definitely more excited.

Author's Notes again.

I do apologize for the extremely long delay. But now that I'm getting things back in order I'll be posting once a week! Promise, unless something else happens that stops me from doing so. Thank you guys for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes ~*~ Thanks guys for the reviews. I love knowing that there are people out there who appreciate what I write, which is nothing more than a public diary sorta… Anyway enjoy!

Chapter Three

We picked up Kiyoshi after we closed the shop and headed to Tomoyo's house for a shower and dress up. The moment Tomoyo laid eyes on Kiyoshi I swear it was love at first sight. There was talk about a toddler line with him as her model. Kiyoshi surprisingly warmed up to her instantly and babbled and laughed with her the entire ride over to her house.

Eriol couldn't help but laugh at the sight and neither could I. "See, she'll be an excellent mother one day," he whispered over to me, not that there was any need for whispering. I'm sure Tomoyo and Kiyoshi were too enthralled with each other at the moment to care what we were saying.

"I heard that and I said no, not until I'm where I want to be in life," came Tomoyo's stern voice. I stand corrected.

"Here we are ladies and Kiyoshi," Eriol said pulling into a huge circular driveway.

"No!" Kiyoshi yelle, then looked frightened because he wasn't speaking to either me or Tomoyo or the fact that he yelled _no_, which ever comes first.

"This place is huge!" I whispered.

"Nothing compared to Syaoran's house," Eriol scoffed.

"My mother's idea of a comfortable home," Tomoyo said with a sigh. Some people get all the luck. "Personally if I were to get a house that big I'd one want it to be filled with kids."

"Oh my gosh, you're going to kill yourself trying to give birth to enough kids to fill a house that huge!"

"I want to adopt as well as have some physically, but I feel that there are too many kids out there on the street now that don't have families that could use a good home." Tomoyo said stretching before getting out of the car.

Well, at least with money she has a good head on her shoulders. "Have you ever thought of starting up an orphanage?" I asked.

"Yeah, I just need someone to help me through it. As you know I don't have kids of my own yet and I don't know exactly all the basics of taking care of children other than they need baths, food, and clothes. Along with doctor visits."

"Well that's basically it; as well as love and plenty of exercise." I followed suit and got out of the car and started to get Kiyoshi out of the car seat. "Isn't that right baby?" Kiyoshi laughed when I held him in the air and he painfully grabbed my cheeks and pulled to force me to bring his face to mine and he gave me a sloppy wet kiss.

"That looks so painful," Eriol said closing his door.

"It is very painful," I replied trying to get him to let his death grip off my face.

"Okay guys, let's hurry we don't have much time to get ready for your interview with the witch," Tomoyo stated dryly.

"I'm just going at a guess here and say that no one likes Fai's mother." Considering we didn't have a lot of time, I decided to carry Kiyoshi on my hip rather than letting him walk, which would take a life time on it's own going up those stairs.

Entering the house was a dream that I couldn't even imagine. Inside was a pretty yellow and gold theme with black furniture and red roses and throw pillows as accessories.

"Okay bedroom is this way," Tomoyo said heading up one side of the double staircase. Eriol and I followed suit at full speed. Holy crap her floors are marble? You've got to be kidding me…

The hallway up the stairs was the same gold and yellow theme as downstairs with red carpeting. The walls were lined with beautifully done pictures of Tomoyo as a child and who I can only assume was her mother.

We soon entered into a room that was like stepping into a world of lavender scents and a purple world. "I did not know that this much purple existed in the world."

"I know isn't lovely?" Tomoyo asked throwing her hands up. "Purple is the color of imagination because it is the only color that doesn't naturally exist and therefore I love it even more."

"Now, I'm going to say you're about my size which makes this perfect so I don't have to leave my room for anything. Eriol, go show her to the shower so she can get freshened up and I'll find the perfect outfit for her to wear tonight."

"This way my lady," Eriol said taking Kiyoshi out of my arms despite his disgruntled grunting and lead me to another room a joined to here.

It was like stepping into another world again. Gold and purple collided here in a bathroom that was bigger than my living room. The floor was soft yellowed marbled, the wood work was white, but the accessories were purple and gold. With pretty flowers white, purple and gold flowers. On one side there was a bathtub huge enough fit five people easy and on the other side was a stand in shower with a seat.

"The linen closet is on the end on the right," Eriol said before stepping out and closing the door behind him.

I went to the linen closet and opened it up. Unsurprisingly they were the same color schemes for the towels and wash clothes. Leaving the purple to Tomoyo I picked a yellow towel and couldn't believe how incredibly soft it was. It was almost like touching silk only it was terry cloth.

Stepping into the shower I was quickly engulfed in perfectly temperature water. I felt all my stresses melt away and I just wanted to stay where I was as the water ran over me. Then the thought of impressing Syaoran's wife passed through my head and I remembered I didn't have time to dolly.

Showering quickly and thoroughly as one could under pressure I got out and without me having to touch anything the water had shut itself off. I could get so spoiled living here and forget myself completely.

Considering that it's marble I expected a cold floor but instead I felt warmth radiating from underneath my feet and realized that the floor was _heated_. Yup, definitely could have no problems living in a place like this.

Drying off I wrapped the towel around me and stepped out of the bathroom and back into the land of purple. Eriol and Kiyoshi were nowhere to be seen.

"I sent the boys downstairs to watch TV so we can have some privacy," Tomoyo said, more to herself than to me, as she studied the articles of clothing splayed out on her bed. "I'm sure that Eriol told you about Ji Yue's obsession with western 50's style when it came to the help and when he told me about you I decided to have some _modern _uptakes on them made last night just for you. I wasn't sure your size but Eriol told me you were about my size so I modeled for them."

She handed me a pretty gray skirt and soft white top with no sleeves. It was unbelievably simple but it looked so pretty. I went back to the bathroom to change and couldn't believe how soft the clothes felt on my skin. It was like everything she touched turned to the world's softest material. Unfortunately she didn't have a mirror in the bathroom for me to see what I looked like before stepping out so I could only pray for the better.

Tomoyo was poised at the door looking every part of the fashion designers you see on TV; poised and attentive for any flaws. "I must say you look beautiful!" she said shaking her head. "If you were working for me though I'd have to have you wear low cut shirts, pregnancy gave you some nice ones to show off."

I felt the heat run up to my face. I was so not used to people being this open about their thoughts on my body. Despite my sudden embarrassment an even more embarrassing part of it all is I felt really complimented by it.

"Thank you?" I asked.

Tomoyo just laughed. "Sorry, I have a tendency to speak before I think sometimes. Here, I have a matching jacket for it."

I just smiled and put the jacket on. It fit until I started buttoning it and couldn't get it unbuttoned over my chest. "It doesn't completely fit in the chest area."

"That's okay. The easy fix solution for that is this!" She buttoned the button that started underneath my chest and the rest of the way down. "There, perfection!" She quickly lead me to a full length mirror to see myself.

"Oh…" was all I could really say. It was weird but it had been so long since I'd seen me in anything that fitted me nicely and the whole button it partially really made a difference.

Before I knew it Tomoyo lit in on my hair like an angry fly and surprisingly enough for as quick as she worked with her curling iron and rattail comb I didn't get feel any pain. "You're good," I said looking in the mirror at a more professional me.

Tomoyo blew on her curling iron and posed next to me. "I know." A big grin slapped on her face.

"Yo, we got fifteen minutes before we have to be there, you know how Syaoran likes everything to be on… time." Eriol stopped whatever he was saying and cocked his head to the side. "Sakura?" he questioned.

"Yes?" I asked sweetly.

"Looking good." Then a look of realization shown on his face and my already beating heart beat faster. "Oh my God, Tomoyo she looks too good."

Tomoyo glanced me up and down one good time. "Look I'm not going to make her look like those things she hired to be her hired hands. As a nanny, she's going to have to go places that Syaoran plans on taking Fai so she needs to look sharp for this position. Besides it's the weekend and she and her mommy dearest were together today so she is probably going to be or is on her way to being smashed."

"Alright, let's go then," Eriol said heading back out the room.

I was about to head out the room with her but Tomoyo stopped me. "I didn't know what size shoe you wore so I got several different sizes and styles made." Quickly she reached under her bed and pulled out a pale pink box, a monster in the room of purple, and popped the top to reveal ten pairs of shoes. There were a range of shoes from flats to stilettos in either black or red. Being not brave at all on color I chose a pair of black baby doll shoes with a four inch hill and a strap over the ankle, happily in my size.

"Nice choice," Tomoyo said nodding her approval.

"Can't really go wrong when they're all super cute," I said without thinking. Oh God, where have my morals gone that I gained as a mother? I need money for shoes for my kid, not really cute, actually kind of sexy shows that makes me appear like a super hot nanny… Okay, I'm deciding that Tomoyo is bad for my health and I haven't known her for a full twelve hours yet.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Tomoyo started jumping up and down. "Hurry and put those on, we need to be at his house in like thirteen minutes!"

Quickly I sat at the edge of her bed and strapped the shoes on my feet. It felt good to be in heels again, but how effective are these when babysitting?

Carefully, and a bit rusty on my part, we hurried down the stairs to where Eriol and a now sleeping Kiyoshi waited. "How did you do that?" I asked mystified.

"I kind of chased him a lot, played a couple of games of how high can you go until he was so tired he just kind of collapsed on me when we sat down," Eriol said casually.

"Figures, with the lack of sleep I've been getting I don't feel like I have the energy to do anything like that anymore," I said smiling fondly down at my sleeping child.

"Come on, ten minutes people!" Tomoyo whispered grabbing her purse on her way to open the door.

Eriol motioned me to go on ahead and he picked up Kiyoshi and out the door we headed. I was heading toward the car when I noticed that only Tomoyo was with me. "Where's he taking Kiyoshi?" I asked watching Eriol walk with still sleeping Kiyoshi in his arms toward the backyard.

"He's going the same place we are, only slower. Syaoran lives right behind us," she said getting in. I followed suit still eyeing the retreating back of Eriol and my baby. "But Syaoran has these really huge gardens that you would have to walk through and it's like a maze. So far only he and Eriol truly know how to get through that thing. Driving there will be much quicker."

The engine roared to life and without another word between us we speed off to Syaoran's house.

~*~

I don't remember much of the ride over, except that I know that the moment we exited her driveway I stayed scared and tense the entire ride and positive that there was at least fifty broken laws trailing behind us.

Shakily I got out of the car and tried to calm my nerves with something less unnerving, passing this interview with Fai's mom. Great, now I don't remember her name and they must have mentioned it like a hundred times around me.

The moment I closed the door the sound of yet another car pulled up behind us. It was beautiful whatever kind of car it was. The sexy body of shine of it reminded me of some kind of serpent king of the road. The car cut off and Syaoran stepped out loosening his tie.

"You drove?" he said when he noticed us.

"Yup, without a single scratch!" Tomoyo said cheerfully. Apparently her driving skills were well known.

"Still alive?" he asked me. Those amber eyes bore straight into me.

"I think so, but I'm not sure. I'll let you know when I feel like my body remembers how to operate in gravity populated areas." Syaoran smirked and I quickly adverted my eyes. Strictly business Sakura, you need this job for you and Kiyoshi. Flirting gets you in trouble! If it feels, walks, and talks like flirting it's flirting, remember that! I kept telling myself over and over again.

"Well, either way you two made it on time. I know how Tomoyo can get when presented the opportunity to play dress up," Syaoran said locking and closing his car door.

We walked up his even bigger stair case and already my legs burned from the lack of climbing. The house was impeccably white, with pretty red shutters on each side of the windows and flower boxes hanging on the downstairs window seals. The door, painted red with a pretty glass design of a peony near the top and gold door knobs, which that I guess isn't out of the ordinary… Without drawing too much attention to myself I quickly glanced at the yard and saw how neat it was cut and not a speck of dead grass anywhere.

"What do you think?" Syaoran asked.

I felt myself jump, completely caught off guard. I must have been staring harder than I thought. "It's beautiful. It's every gardeners dream," I told him honestly.

"You should see the backyard," he said simply opening the door and letting us in. The inside of his home made Tomoyo's look like a cozy apartment and mine like a refrigerator box.

This was no place to raise kids. Nothing in here was kid friendly. Glass vases with fresh cut flowers on one legged tables and to top it off they were glass tops. "Oh my God," I said. The pure hazard of his unbelievably decadent home was being overshadowed by the huge steps. The rest of the living room consisted of dark brown over stuffed couch and loveseat that looked difficult to get out of. A flat screen more than likely HD television that was well over half the size of the wall… I could see my son run into the entertainment center that it was perched in and it just fall on top of him and… I shook my head. I couldn't think about that anymore.

"Ji Yue!" Syaoran called out with force. The moment he said her name his entire body language tensed up. Two people who I could only assume as the hired help due to their knee length French Maid uniforms came scurrying out to take Syaoran's briefcase and Tomoyo's purse.

"You don't have to yell, I can hear you just fine," came a bored female voice. A woman a couple of years older than me came out. Her freshly died red hair, and manicured fingers. She was dressed in an over the top yellow summer dress that probably cost a couple of hundred dollars when I could I have bought a similar one for well under half the price. Her face was partially covered by large dark sunglasses despite being inside and her perfectly pedicured feet were in red sandals. Giving what could be considered a pose she slowly took her sunglasses off and her eyes swept over us with her colored contact colored blue eyes. "Who is that?" she asked eying me up and down.

It was so weird but the way that she spoke made me feel like I had just been offended. She was the prime example of every woman that I absolutely hated. Rich and thought she was better than everyone on the planet. Can't really blame them though. They have everything handed to them.

"This is Sakura Kinomoto, I interviewed her for the nanny position and out of everyone she is the _best_ candidate," Syaoran said gesturing everyone to sit down on the overstuffed furniture.

I was careful when I sat. I saw the way Tomoyo looked like she fell into the couch further when she sat down; I didn't want to give them the impression that I was clumsy. Well actually if they were to hire me they would find out that taxing detail sooner or later.

Ji Yue gave a halting laugh and stayed standing in front of me, still looking me up and down. "Couldn't find one younger than her or is she pushing the 17 and under limit?" she asked Syaoran.

"Ji Yue don't start with me. Can you for once be professional about anything and do the interview with her?" Syaoran asked getting aggravated.

"Fine," Ji Yue snapped sounding insulted as she pouted her lips. Eriol and Tomoyo were right about her being very pretty but her attitude takes a lot away from her. "How old are you?"

"Twenty two," I said as poised as possible. Rich or not I wasn't about to let her make me look or feel bad just because she had a chip on her shoulder.

"You don't think you're too _young_ for this position? Do you even know how _annoying _kids can be?" Ji Yue asked in a condescending tone.

I hate her. "No I don't think I'm too _young_ for this position nor do I find kids annoying. After all, I'm a mother myself so I do understand how _stressful _it can be without help and lack of sleep or me time." I could feel the rage boiling inside my chest. People like her always brought out the emotional side of me and right now I'm finding it so hard to bite my tongue.

"So you basically have no life." She didn't question it she simply said that I had no life.

"My _life_ is dedicated to making sure my son has everything that he needs and to teach him to value everything that comes his way." I could feel my hands tighten up into fists in my lap. I wanted to reach up and pull her down by her fake red hair and beat her pretty little face in.

"What about his father?" she asked.

I felt my face flame up with anger. "That's enough Ji Yue!" Syaoran's voice roared. "This _interview_ that you've been so desperate to do has absolutely _nothing_ to do with her wanting this position and I'm not going to allow it to continue. Kinomoto, you're hired." Syaoran said getting up and walking out of the room.

Ji Yue tossed her hair over her shoulders with a flick of her head, irritation clearly on her face. She didn't say anything else just shot dirty looks all around before heading out herself.

"Hello, Ji Yue," came Eriol's voice from another room.

"Can it," Ji Yue snapped.

"Well hello again ladies. Look there's mommy," Eriol said directing Kiyoshi toward me.

Without a sound other than his feet hitting the area rug he ran to me and all but jumped in my arms. "Hey baby, you just waking up?" I asked giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"What took you so long?" Tomoyo asked tossing his keys back to him.

"Well Kiyoshi woke up halfway through to our journey and we decided to play in the garden while mommy has her interview with the Evil Itch of the East. Speaking of which, how'd it go?" he asked throwing himself and then sinking into the couch.

"Sakura handled it flawlessly, even though I could tell she was moments away from ripping Ji's throat out." Tomoyo commented smiling.

"Really?" Eriol asked with interest.

"Yeah but I think Syaoran wanted to massacure her. You know his tolerance with her is getting less and less? Should have seen the way he snapped at her, I don't think she was sure what to do."

"So you got the job?" Eriol asked looking directly at me.

"Yup!" I said throwing Kiyoshi into the air. The fact that Syaoran had ultimately given me the job made me happy because I knew that I could quit those other jobs that I can't stand. No more late nights in a room full of drunken men who think they have a chance. No more long boring days trying to stay awake during my day job. I could finally be home with Kiyoshi at night.

"Oh, I forgot to mention this but as my new nanny, I'll need you to live with us," Syaoran said coming back into the room. I felt my jaw drop. Not that I didn't want to live in a life filled with luxury but I had five more months on my lease and bills that needed to be paid.

"Wow, that's a pretty big thing. I – I don't know about all of that." What about my furniture? I know really crappy looking especially when compared to this decadent furniture but I've worked so hard to obtain all that I have.

"Why is that?" he asked sitting down. There was no point sugar coating anything so I didn't. I told him exactly how I felt about the idea and he nodded with understanding but didn't say anything. I just had to open my mouth.

"Tell you what. I'll deal with your landlord and if it's your possessions that you're not wanting to get rid of that's understandable to. We can empty out the rooms that I was making available for whoever I was to hire and you can use your own furniture if you would like. Please take the position, I truly don't know if I have the mentality to go through more interviews to try and find someone with the same views as you."

I looked at Kiyoshi sitting in my lap as he openly stared at who was essentially my new boss. With a sigh of sadness I knew deep down that I would need to get rid of the stuff that I've worked for in order to give Kiyoshi everything that he needed.

"Hello there little guy. What's your name?" he asked Kiyoshi leaning forward. Kiyoshi looked up at me and then back at him. He remained silent as he stared down the man who dared talk to him.

"Can you say Kiyoshi?" I asked in his tiny ear. His eyes turned toward me first before the rest of his head and he gave me that are you crazy look before returning his gaze back to Syaoran. "He'll warm up to you over time."

"He's beautiful, little boys are supposed to be handsome. I bet you give mommy all kinds of trouble. You want to meet my son?" Syaoran asked getting closer to Kiyoshi's eye level. Still he refused to respond.

"Can you say yes?" I asked as brightly as one could. This time Kiyoshi didn't even acknowledge me.

"He's sleeping right now but he'll be up soon. Wanna go see yours and mommy's room?"

"Oh! Let me show you," Tomoyo said excitedly getting up out of her seat.

"That works out even better for me. I actually have a load of paper work that I need to go through before tonight's end." Syaoran stood back up and stretched his back and neck.

Tomoyo picked up Kiyoshi from my arms and motioned for me to follow, which I gratefully did to get out the same room as my boss. He made me feel weird like I used to before when I was still in high school only without the gushy girly feelings that come with a crush. It was like a taste of normalcy but every time I tried that normalcy tended to backfire.

We climbed stairs that was covered in thick red carpeting and had gold trim on the sides. As we walked up the stairs I tried to think of all the possibilities that come with living in the same place as where you work. I wouldn't be late unless I slept in. I could always be home with Kiyoshi. There was a hug backyard that we could easily get lost in… maybe not that one until I get to know the area.

"Here we are," Tomoyo said entering a heavy looking wooden door on the left of the hallway. "This will be your bedroom."

We entered what is to be my room and emerged into a world of neutral tans and beiges. On one side of the room sat a four post queen size beds with sheer cream curtains hanging down from it. The curtains were heavy looking cream color on the huge window. Immediately I opened them to allow the fresh sunlight into the room and realized that it was a door to a balcony. Carefully opening them up I was hit with the fresh sent of flowers and stepped out and saw the garden.

Suddenly I was glad that we took the dangerous trip with Tomoyo's driving. I wouldn't know where to turn in that maze. I could see the center of the garden, only because of the white gazebo sitting there in an open field of green.

I turned to go back inside. The closet was a huge walk in, probably only a third of my clothes would fill it. It even had shelves for shoes or whatnots. There was a heavy cherry dresser and matching vanity with a red cushioned stool and huge mirror.

"Isn't pretty?" Tomoyo asked.

"Unbelievably so," I murmured half mesmerized by the room. It was huge! It even had a desk for writing or a computer.

"Oh this is your bathroom," Tomoyo said opening up a door that I hadn't noticed before sitting on my bed, Kiyoshi still in her arms as he looked about the area.

I took a step inside and was greeted with soft yellows and pretty baby blues as the theme. The bathroom was similar to Tomoyo's only with a stained glass window of yellows and blues to allow natural light and privacy.

"Syaoran figured since your son and his son are about the same age that they could share a bedroom. So Syaoran had an extra toddler bed put in as well as another dresser and extra toys. I'd show you now but Fai is sleeping and he's so hard to get to take a nap sometimes –"

"I completely understand. Besides the moment that he sees things to play with he's not going to want to come out of there."

After seeing the rooms that I would be staying in I could only expect nothing but the best in the room Kiyoshi would be staying in considering that he would be sharing with the child I'm to look after. It would actual do them both good to have to learn to share, neither one of them has ever truly had to do that before, well maybe Kiyoshi a little more but only because of daycare.

Tomoyo repositioned Kiyoshi to her other hip. "If he's too heavy he can walk you know," I said smiling.

"Oh I know but he's just so cute and cuddly! Fai isn't one for holding. He likes to be free like a tornado destroying everything in his path." We laughed. I could only imagine what Fai looked like, considering I haven't seen a picture of any baby's anywhere so far. Maybe he looked like his father or maybe his evil mother, either way he'd win in the cute department.

We headed back down the stairs with Eriol carrying a bag of something toward us. "So, how'd you like it?" he asked ruffling Kiyoshi's hair who in turn glared then smiled.

"It's beautiful. I didn't see the boys' room or Fai yet. We don't want to disturb him if he's sleeping."

"Definitely understandable. Hey Kiyoshi, you like bubbles?"

"Bubbles?" Kiyoshi spoke, his attitude perked up immediately.

"Oh ho, ho! So you do speak!" Eriol exclaimed. "Come on," he said holding out his hand. Kiyoshi looked up at me for approval.

"Go on, honey," I told him giving him a nod of my head.

"Come on Kiyoshi, I got bubbles!"

He leaned over arms stretched out and allowed Eriol to take him. "Bubbles?" he asked looking in the bag. "Oh look mommy bubbles!"

"Wow, he talks good for two," Tomoyo commented.

"Only about things that he likes. Like cup, he calls bowl and milk he calls water. He says yes to just about everything and no when he doesn't want to mind. Other than that I have no idea what he's talking about and boy does he carry on." I said smiling and followed them to the back yard.

The rest of the house was gorgeous! We even passed through a hallway with pictures of all of Syaoran's grandfathers and their wives. Eriol had explained that it was tradition to have all the men who inherit the business and their wives painted and placed on the hallway. I didn't notice any picture of Syaoran and Ji Yue and though I was curious I didn't ask, it wasn't really any of my business.

Alright, I'm ending it here. Eleven pages of me sitting here for all day off and on. Enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes ~*~ Thanks everyone for the reviews, they're truly inspiring. Sorry, missed the update last week, was really sick. Enjoy!

Chapter Four

We had a blast and played until a rounded older woman called us in for dinner. By that time we were getting most of our amusement from Kiyoshi who by that time was trying to fight sleep and continue playing a little while longer. Every now and then he would stop to rub the sleep from his eyes and then with a shriek of excitement he'd take off again chasing after the bubbles or at one of us. It wasn't until I picked him up to toss him in the air that I noticed how sticky the soap from the bubbles had made him.

Catching him carefully back into my arms, he laughed in delight and gave me a kiss before demanding another tossing. "Wanna eat, eat?" I asked.

The one little word got his attention, like I knew it would. "Eat, eat?" Kiyoshi repeated. Being tossed in the air was the last thing on his mind at that point.

"Yes, baby eat, eat. Time to get some dinner," I told him giving him a kiss on the cheek.

We all went inside and Tomoyo showed me to a nearby bathroom so that I could wipe the bubble residue from his skin.

With that done we went to the dining room with a huge mahogany table, looked like it was enough to sit almost twenty people. I noticed that two of the chairs near the end had booster seats with a regular chair in-between, meaning a special place had been set up for me and the boys.

Honestly that was fine with me, it left me out of any _stimulating _conversations with anyone that I didn't feel comfortable with, which in this case was still just about everyone, though if I had to choose I'd feel safer with Eriol. Tomoyo might steal my soul away with her fashions and multiple cameras I swear I saw in her room earlier today.

I sat Kiyoshi down in the booster seat and strapped him in. I was about to ask about Fai when Syaoran entered the room with a blue eyed blonde hair cutie pointing at everything and asking, "What's that?" Though my first reaction was he looked nothing like either of his parents, he was still so adorable!

"This is my son, Fai. The man that no one seems to be able to control. I wish you all the best of luck," Syaoran said standing in front of me so I could get a good look at Fai.

"High there cutie!" I greeted. Fai smiled and leaned forward for me to pick him up. "You're adorable," I told him taking him from Syaoran's arms.

"Careful, he's a womanizer. He goes for any woman with a decent chest," Tomoyo said bluntly.

I felt myself smile and give a short chuckle. "I think that's all baby boys," I told her. "Some more than others," I finished when he pointed to my chest and asked, "What's that?"

The same lady that called us in to eat started bringing out trays of food, one or two at a time until Eriol started helping her set up the table. Her cheeks were rosy and a smile on her face.

"That's Leilia; she's worked for the Li's for as long as we were babies. She's so sweet," Tomoyo whispered in my ear. I nodded in acknowledgement before strapping Fai down in his chair. Kiyoshi, never liking to share mommy with any other babies looked peeved at the new intruder who was happily slapping the table with both his hands. I could already tell this was going to be a blast.

Being that both the kids were secured in their seats, I took it upon myself to help finish setting up dinner and introducing myself to Leilia. She was such a sweetheart and so bubbly that it was contagious. I couldn't help but notice the weird looks I was getting for Ji Yue who had ditched her oversized sunglasses.

"So Sakura, after dinner what are your plans with the boys?" Eriol asked trying to start up a conversation as we all took our seats.

"Well, it's almost seven now so after dinner, they'll get a bath and be put to bed," I told him. I felt really awkward sitting there passing food around and putting food on to three plates, one for me and one for each kid.

"Maybe if it's not too late we can work on your dancing. Don't think I didn't notice Tomoyo teaching hip isolations, you were getting really good near the end. I think you were born for this kind of dance," Eriol complimented.

I felt myself blush from embarrassment. Not one being used to compliments I simply mumbled my thanks and avoided all eye contact with him. With dinner passed around and everyone eating, me catching a few bites here and there between giving Fai food. Kiyoshi was becoming independent of me feeding him and wanted to do it himself. For the most part he did really well, there were a few things that he allowed me to help him out with or he just used his hands to stuff it into his mouth.

Syaoran had sat across from me to be next to Fai but never said anything, just simply listened or ignored, I couldn't really tell the conversation around him. Ji Yue sat next to him with next to nothing on her plate to begin with taking small bites followed by wine. It made me long for Tomoyo's and Eriol's presence in front of me instead of the depressing couple in front of me.

Fai was proving to be difficult to feed. He mostly just wanted to play with the food than eat it which made it that much harder. The fact that I was just getting to know the little one didn't help any and the presence of his parents made me fear being firm on him about eating but eventually we got it down. Kiyoshi had taken a liking to the mashed potatoes and kept tugging or slapping a messy hand on my arm to get my attention to get him more.

Between me and the kids dinner lasted a little over an hour and somehow I managed to eat my meal as well, which was unbelievably good. By that time Ji Yue had excused herself so she could go smoke a cigarette and Syaoran had kissed Fai good night before excusing himself to go do paper work.

I had managed to avoid eye contact with him throughout dinner, which I was very proud of. Ji Yue already suspected me getting the job because of the contents in Syaoran's pants. The last thing that I wanted was that. I had too much on my hands just trying to raise Kiyoshi these past two years by myself to even think twice about another man.

With the bosses gone I felt more relaxed and found myself easily falling into conversation with Eriol and Tomoyo. It wasn't until I noticed the wall clock read a quarter till ten that I realized how late it was getting and the kids needed their bath, the belly dancing lessons had been forgotten for now.

Kiyoshi was beyond tired and he was getting fussy and unable to keep his eyes open. Taking him out of his booster seat I followed Tomoyo who carried a still wide awake Fai. I could see now that their sleeping habits were going to have to be slightly readjusted.

"I'll help you bathe them tonight," Tomoyo offered. The weight of Kiyoshi and climbing up the thousands of stairs was enough to kill whatever energy I had left to want to decline.

"I appreciate it, but I need to appear to be able to handle it. I should probably give Kiyoshi a bath first since he seems to be the one falling asleep on me." As if on cue to prove me wrong, Kiyoshi lifted up and looked around with wide eyes.

"Oh look at that, it's a baby?" he asked pointing at Fai.

"Yes honey he's a baby just like you," I said giving him a peck on the cheek.

"A baby?" he questioned again. I hummed my answer to him which he replied with an 'oh' and asked again as if to make sure.

All the while Fai made grunting noises as he stared on at the obviously strange baby in his house. Tomoyo lead us to a door that wasn't too far from the door to the nursery that I hadn't seen yet that lead to a smaller but still overly elegant bathroom for a baby.

The tub was still big enough to fit twenty two and one year old babies in there and at least four to five adults. The towels were as soft as the ones at Tomoyo's house.

"Oh!" Kiyoshi, despite the entire decor around him, knew the room for what it was. It meant he got to play in water _and _bubbles, how could he possibly resist?

I sat him down on the floor and began running the water. Tomoyo sat on the toilet still holding the now quiet Fai, whose blue eyes followed me everywhere. I had a feeling that he had a clue as to what was about to happen to but I wasn't sure how he felt about it.

With the water to a nice temperature I added a few drops of the baby bubble bath that sat on a shelf over the tub and watched Kiyoshi get excited. Fai let out a few grunts of interest and leaned forward wanting to get down out of Tomoyo's lap.

"Alright boys, time for a bath." Grabbing Kiyoshi up before he managed to climb in fully clothed I got him undressed and sat him into the forming bubble bath to which he began his ritual of eating the bubbles.

"Is it safe to let him do that?" Eriol asked questioningly.

"It's just soap and in small doses. It's when he's trying to actually drink the water that worries me," I said seriously. Without even truly thinking about it I went ahead and took Fai and got him prepared to enter the water to. There was really no point in bathing them one at a time, besides we were all tired and they needed to get to know each other.

While they got to know each other I got bathing them. Since Fai was having the most trouble sitting up in the water, I got him bathed first. By the time I got him rinsed off and dried I remembered how much this killed my back and that I had one more baby to do.

"I forgot the clothes could you show me where they are?" I asked Tomoyo.

"Of course, and if you don't have any for Kiyoshi I have some that I've been making for Fai that he can wear," she offered.

"Oh thank you but I try to be prepared, I always bring an extra pair of clothes or two." Tomoyo nodded and went to get the clothes from Fai's room. "Hey sweetie!" I greeted him again causing him to hide his face behind his hands and lean into my shoulder as hard as he possibly could. "Aren't you so cute?" I miss Kiyoshi being this small, not that he was much smaller in size. Just his actions were so much more baby like than those of Kiyoshi who carried on as if he's done it all before.

Sitting on the bathroom floor with him partially wrapped up in the towel still I managed to get him dressed in his footie pajamas and put him to bed. Immediately the crying started and I felt bad because I know that he had slept pretty close to the bedtime I was setting for him. Yet I set my resolve and went to finish bathing Kiyoshi, who was a lot easier to bathe because he tried to help by giving his limbs to later down.

Eriol had gone to his car and had gotten my diaper bag that had Kiyoshi's clothes in it without me noticing and naturally thanked him for it.

It wasn't until after I had dressed Kiyoshi in fresh clean clothes that I became unsure of what to do next. There was an extra bed in the boys' bedroom for him to sleep but it wasn't like I had any clothes or anything. Then there was no official start date for my new position and I still needed to put in my two weeks' notice to my current jobs.

"If you want I can run back over to my place and grab some clothes and hygiene products for you for tonight. Syaoran wasn't exactly specific about your start date, but I'm sure that you two can work that out," Tomoyo said patting Kiyoshi on the head.

"Thanks Tomoyo, I really appreciate it." I took Kiyoshi and lead him to the vacant bed in which he climbed in. He whimpered he knew it was time for bed, but the fact that he wasn't sure where he was and the two strangers with mommy made him unsure if he should wail his opinion.

We entered back into the bathroom and I closed the door after us. The last thing I wanted was to have morning come and find the boys playing in the toilet, I've already gone through that with Kiyoshi once I refuse to go through it again.

I gathered up their clothes and looked for a clothes hamper but couldn't find one. Eriol seemed to know what I was looking for before I even asked. "Don't worry about it you won't find one. Leilia goes through all the rooms in search for clothes every morning with a portable one."

"Good lord, she cooks _and_ cleans?" I asked. This place was huge; I was expecting at least twenty people doing work.

"It used to not be that way, but since Syaoran married Ji Yue she's been _downsizing_ where Syaoran's money goes. The only people she hasn't managed to get fired with her stupid schemes is Leilia and Wei, he does a lot of the yard work in between the monthly gardener sessions." Tomoyo said emptying out the bath tub.

"That's horrible! How can they expect two people to take care of a place this big?" I asked shocked. We turned the lights out and exited the bathroom; closing the door behind us to keep the closed door patterns going on throughout the hall.

"Don't get us wrong," Eriol started in more hushed tones. "Syaoran helps out however he can and we do as well when we come over. They've been with us since we were all babies he'd do everything possible to keep them."

"Eriol, it's not nice to talk about people when you think they're not listening," the male voice of Syaoran rang through the hallway. Being unprepared for any surprises I had jumped at the sound and now my heart was racing up to my throat. "Didn't mean to scare you," he said chuckling.

I glanced at him and told him it was okay. Despite my glance being brief I had already took in the way that he looked. Apparently he had changed out of his business suit and had changed into black jogging pants and a black tank. The muscles that I thought he had before made themselves known. I've only known the guy for two days and in one stupid glance I remembered more about what he had on then I could remember what I had for breakfast this morning! How am I going to keep a job if my boss is breaking through my barriers?

"I was about to go for a run but I remembered that we still had a lot of things to discuss about your job and what's expected out of you," he said. His voice forced me to look up into those amber eyes and the only thing I could think was I give myself one week before I get fired. Ji Yue will notice my awkwardness and take advantage of this.

"I was just thinking the same thing, actually. Not about what I expect from you but from me. I was about to walk with Tomoyo to get some clothes from her house so Eriol doesn't need to worry about taking me all the way home and get me here early morning…" I rambling and I could feel my cheeks starting to burn. I hate the way my body responds when I get nervous. At least the tripping of my words hasn't kicked in but I'm sure that it wasn't far away.

"Since it's late anyway and Fai likes to get an early start so it can wait until tomorrow evening. I need to ask you about the status of the current jobs though; do you have to work in the morning?"

"Actually, yes I do. I was planning on giving my two weeks tomorrow when I went in. The only thing is my jobs are back to back and I don't get off until one or one thirty in the morning…" I could feel my brand new job slipping through my hands already and I haven't even truly started.

"Do you have a car?" he asked shoving his hands into his pockets.

The more he questioned me the more I started to feel bad about not telling him about my night time job and for the things I didn't have as far as transportation. Heck I started feeling crappy about things that I called jumped the gun on and didn't have or experience the complete set. The first of which, and I got bombarded for was my Queen of the Damned soundtrack CD, which I loved, but I never saw the movie. Now I have a car seat but no car.

"Do you know how to drive?" he asked digging further. I felt my cheeks become even redder and was starting to wish that if he was going to ask all these questions to at least do it without an audience.

"N-no, I've always gotten around by bus." Come on Sakura, there is nothing to be ashamed about. You're a single mother who has gotten by on her own sheer strength! I kept telling myself, but that wasn't working no matter how many times I repeated. So I did what I always do when that fails ninety percent of the time. I took a deep breath and suddenly I was Angelina Jolie, or at least in my head. Pretending confidence has always been my strong point.

"Oh," the sound of surprise clear in his voice. "I was going to give you a car to borrow until you get one but if you don't know how to drive I can see if Wei can drop you off and pick you up for all your jobs," Syaoran stated casually.

"Oh goodness, you don't need to ask him to do that. If he wants to drop me off in the morning, that's fine but the jobs are pretty easy to get to and I have a bus that picks me up and drops me off at home." Please don't keep insisting, I would die if he found out I work at a strip bar.

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze challenging mine. Somehow I managed to stand strong, but barely. I think I was about to cave before he said okay see you in the morning and walked passed us, going for his jog.

I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly through my mouth. I dodged a bullet with that one.

~*~

Sorry it's a short chapter; I'm still working on it but still feeling really under the weather. It's all this stupid weather change and I can't keep us. Please enjoy hope to get the next chapter up before the end of next week.


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